- EFCC arraigns ex-NSITF chair Olejeme over ₦1 billion fraud.
- She pleads not guilty as court adjourns bail hearing to November 17.
- Olejeme faces multiple past corruption allegations and property seizures.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Chairperson of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ngozi Olejeme, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged ₦1 billion money laundering.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Olejeme, who headed the NSITF board between 2012 and 2015, appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite on Wednesday on an eight-count charge bordering on converting, transferring, procuring, and possessing proceeds of unlawful activity.
According to the EFCC, the defendant diverted several funds belonging to the NSITF during her tenure. One of the charges alleged that in February 2012, Olejeme indirectly converted ₦321.6 million paid into the Sterling Bank account of Adin Miles International Ltd, knowing the funds were proceeds of illegal activity. Another count accused her of directing a third party, Chuka C. Eze, to convert $2 million into naira for payment to the same company.
The former NSITF boss, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges. EFCC counsel, Emenike Mgbemele, informed the court that the prosecution intended to call 14 witnesses to testify against her.
Her lawyer, Emeka Ogboguo, urged the court to consider her bail application, after which Justice Nwite released Olejeme to her counsel and adjourned the matter until November 17 for the hearing of the bail application.
Olejeme was declared wanted by the EFCC in 2017 over allegations of corruption and diversion of ₦69 billion. In 2020, a Federal High Court ordered the interim forfeiture of 48 properties linked to her. By October 2021, she was arraigned before an FCT High Court on a separate nine-count charge filed by the EFCC.
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